Back in 1995 Honda’s decision to move into the SUV market raised more than a few eyebrows.

Surely car companies like Honda should leave such a specialist market to proper off-road marques like Land Rover and Mitsubishi?

It was a brave move, but Honda weren’t alone. Other companies such as Ford, Vauxhall and co had seen the potential in this sector because more and more ‘ordinary’ motorists who would normally drive saloons and estates fancied the off-road life. And Honda’s decision was vindicated with one of the best-regarded SUVs on the road.

Fashion was the driver, I guess. But it was also partly a practical choice as families sought more space and off-road ability to cater for lifestyle interests such as watersports and horses.

The arrival of Range Rover in the early 1970s and iconic vehicles such as Mitsubishi Shogun showed there was growing demand for this type of vehicle.

So it was that Honda brought us the first CR-V. Roll on 17 years and we have the fourth generation and, my, how it’s changed with the new model, which costs from £21,395.

Honda chose the banks of Loch Lomond to show off the new version and brought along the three predecessor models for comparison.

Well, it’s interesting to view the development. The original, with steel wheels and spartan cabins, was utilitarian to say the least. The new CR-V, due on sale shortly, is an all together more sophisticated beast.

Hondas are much-loved vehicles. In fact, Honda customers are among the most loyal in the market. The new version aims to improve in several key areas including style and driveability.

There is also, for the first time, a two-wheel-drive version. Not everyone wants full four-wheel-drive ability to cross rivers and ploughed fields. Some people simply want to cope with wintry weather and potholes and two-wheel power is adequate, not to say cheaper to buy and run.

The new CR-V aims to improve on the outgoing version’s practicality. It’s not as tall or as long as the old version, but it bigger on the inside. Clever people, these car designers. It makes the new model more capacious than key rivals such as Toyota RAV4, Volkswagen Tiguan and Volvo XC60.

The CR-V, built in Swindon, starts from £21,395 on the road for the entry level 2.0 i-VTEC manual S grade 2WD model and rise to £30,995 for the top of the range 2.2 i-DTEC EX AWD with manual transmission.

The introduction of the 2WD allows the new CR-V to enter the market with a lower entry price, broadening the sales potential. Honda has also improved the specifications through the whole range, whilst still managing to keep costs in line with the previous version.

It offers even greater quality, practicality and refinement than its predecessor and with environmental concerns of increasing importance, both the 2.0 i-VTEC and 2.2 i-DTEC engines emit significantly less CO2. Plus, for the first time in Europe, the new CR-V will be offered with a choice of two- and four-wheel drive.

With the rear seats in place the boot capacity is a spacious 589 litres and this extends to 1,669 litres when the seats are down. The practicality is further enhanced by the addition of keyless entry and power tailgate (standard on EX trim level), which makes it easier for owners to further maximise the boot space. It is available with four generously equipped trim levels S, SE, SR and EX.

The entry-level S features Intelligent Multi Info Display (i-MID), driver power lumbar support, Idle Stop, dual zone climate control, cruise control, 17in alloy wheels, fabric interior, Hill Start Assist, one touch folding rear seats, plus a CD tuner and four-speaker stereo, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), anti-lock braking system (ABD), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) and central locking.

The next trim level is SE which adds a leather steering wheel and gearshifter, rain sensing automatic wipers, dusk-sensing auto lights, parking sensors, rear view parking camera, one-touch power windows, folding door mirrors, six-speaker stereo, Bluetooth telephone control and front fog lights.

The next step up is the SR featuring more leather, heated seats, ambient lighting, better stereo, colour-coded roof rails, privacy glass, headlight washers, bigger alloy wheels, passenger power lumbar support and manual passenger seat height adjustment The EX tops off the range with standard kit such as smart entry, leather interior, power tailgate, electric driver seat with memory function, panoramic glass roof and integrated satellite navigation.